Ellison quote nails Trump to floor ...

[PsychoBabble]

“It felt surreal to see Donald Trump walk in and be identified as the president of the United States and start giving that speech,” said Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), who Trump trolled last month on Twitter over his role in Democratic National Committee elections.

“He goes in there and gives a speech, where he says a few nice things about some people with illnesses and some soldiers and some police officers, and now all of a sudden we think he’s a good guy?” Ellison said. “He’s not a good guy. He’s a good actor.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-joint-address-congress_us_58b66849e4b060480e0cf6cf?

Gets right at the heart of 45 ... he is always playing the part of SOMETHING ... I feel sorry for people who believe that smug little fake smile, and who can't tell when they are being conned.

History and context matter.

[mcar]

1. He is correct

It was a fairly decent acting job. He's still the goon who said and did all those terrible things.

I knew the media would do this as they did the same thing with W. The bar is set so low for these guys.

[jrthin]

9. The bar is low because the

bar for even decent journalism is in the basement. MSM did this to us. MSM has destroyed democracy for profit.

[MontanaMama]

16. "MSM has destroyed democracy for profit"

That sentence perfectly described what has happened.

We need a free press more than ever but clearly the MSM will not rise to the occasion, even now. I was beginning to follow a few of them recently but after their shit show last night I'm done being made a fool of. NONE of them can be trusted.

[Kimchijeon]

39. true, the only open and frank discussion is when they have comedians on or

people like Michael Moore etc... and even then it is like "Oh ha ha ho ho yes they are literally fascists, carrying on to the next segment now..."

they are just corporate MSM at this point, there's no pretense of "this is journalism"

too bad most folks don't get it, journalism is dead in this country.

sigh

[Scarsdale]

22. Surprised?

The bar for gop politicians is LOW. Democratic politicians are expected to be well educated, knowledgeable and famiily oriented. Look at how the gop has acted all during President Obama's terms. They slacked off so much, they were gone more than at work. Their brain dead followers STILL re-elected them because - well they are white. Poor excuses for representatives. The next couple of elections should DRAIN the SWAMP once the gop screws over the working class for the last time.

[mdbl]

64. I have been waiting for that through about 5 presidential election cycles

No matter how much those sleazeballs screw this country, they are still there.

[IronLionZion]

38. They dropped the ball and didn't challenge him when they had the chance

and it's interesting to see him punish the media now.

Oh well, if anything good comes out of this mess I hope that journalism becomes great again and people decide to do more research before voting

[moonscape]

58. And that it teaches us, the left, not to take anything for

granted, to work together and never stop being on our toes.

[0rganism]

45. in a way Trump is correct in identifying the media as the enemy of the people

the media has been trying far too hard to normalize our current situation
they have done a lot of harm to our country over the last 30 years

[SticksnStones]

2. He's not even a good actor

The delivery of his lines was stilted.

I'm not even sure he's a good reader ~

But he's an outstandingly successful con man.

When exactly does karma kick in? Anybody?

[PatSeg]

5. Agreed

Trump is a terrible actor. I can't understand why The Apprentice got such good ratings. He comes across as stiff and awkward whenever he speaks to a camera. Reminds of some professional athletes.

It is hard to understand how such an inarticulate man with no charisma whatsoever can be such a successful con man.

[lunatica]

11. When people look at Trump they see Billion dollar signs

A Billion dollars looks beautiful.

And then add to it that if he made Billions for himself, he could make Billions for his followers. He's a Winner and who doesn't love a Winner? Who isn't in awe of such grandness, such greatness that God himself favors him with wealth and beautiful women and fame.

This country worships the wealthy.

[PatSeg]

15. This true

Even if the wealth is a charade. Trump is a caricature of a wealthy American man.

[Scarsdale]

23. Beautiful women?

Ivana looks like an old boozehound. Maleria can hardly speak English, or SMILE. The nude photos were not all that great, either. Is her father the go-between for tRump and Putin? He resides at tRump Tower, and should be investigated.

[lunatica]

34. I didn't say just wives

He owns the Miss America Beauty Pageant. That's what they see when they look at him.

[Ligyron]

50. "old boozehound."

Yup.

First time I met her she was drinking wine at 9:30 in the am. Couldn't believe it!

[90-percent]

33. The above post plagiarizes

the brochure for the now defunct Trump University. Or it could have in my alt-facts universe.


Trump paid out $25 (or was it $35?) million to make the Trump U. class action fraud suit go away. I wonder how much he will pay America in the near future to keep his ass out of solitary confinement for the rest of his life?


All these shady mobbed up Russian mafia connections. Deutsche Bank. Putin is now pretty much in the Stalin zone of totalitarianism. Seemingly responsible for at least 25 murders of his critics and political rivals. Putin runs Russia like John Gotti.

All of this is rapidly eroding the faith we all need in all our institutions. If we can plainly see our president is a traitor and sociopath and idiot and bully and our checks and balances don't, then we'll all do something drastic. Which reminds me: Do we have a plan all set for when the next Wall Street bubble bursts?

-90% Jimmy

[NewJeffCT]

13. The first season, the show was interesting

because it was well educated young people competing for the role and the show was new and different. However, after that first season, it became boring because the next batch of young people knew better how to game the system. Then, the show the deteriorated into using washed up 3rd tier celebrities.

And, while Trump has no charisma to you and me, he obviously knows how to get media attention.

[PatSeg]

19. Its funny

He gets my attention because it is hard to believe he is a real person. His whole life looks like a really bad sitcom about some obnoxious rich guy, but apparently some people believe the character he portrays in the media is real and very cool. That is scary.

[LiberalLovinLug]

49. Have you ever watched the British version?

Or the Aussie version?

I still catch those versions once in awhile on the net. Because they stick to the original premise of using young inexperienced but ambitious candidates. And the star boss is actually intelligent and thoughtful. The premise of the original show is actually interesting. It was just stained by Drumpf. Especially after he started the Celebrity Apprentice versions where all he wanted was for celebrities to faun over him on national TV.

[smirkymonkey]

17. It amazes me that people can't see through the con when it is so apparent to me.

And so apparent to so many of us. I have known people like this in my personal life - people think they are charming and witty and the cat's meow and all I can see is phoniness and smarmy insincerity. I don't know how some people can be so blind. It's infuriating!

[PatSeg]

20. I agree

I also have known people like Trump, but minus the fame and alleged wealth, they are just annoying blowhards that everyone tries to avoid. Trump is the loudmouth in the bar, always bragging about his accomplishments and hitting on women who can't get away from him fast enough.

[SharonAnn]

21. He was playing himself on the The Apprentice, not acting.

[dalton99a]

3. Con man has been putting on a show all his life.

[Nac Mac Feegle]

4. A Shakespere quote comes to mind:

"It is a tale. Full of sound and fury, told by an idiot. signifying nothing."

Macbeth

[PatSeg]

6. Good quote, really fits

[PsychoBabble]

7. Perfect, except that ...

He is the town drunk, but was given the keys to the family car.

[bora13]

14. all the worlds a stage

and sometimes you can't tell who is acting...

[CrispyQ]

8. Sheldon Whitehouse was on MSNBC this morning saying basically the same thing.

The dems need to keep to this message - actions speak louder than words. The American people who think Trumps's going to be on course now, including Chris Matthews, who was gushing over the Con, are stupid. Don the Con will be back to his normal, offensive self by end of business today. Bet on it.

[3catwoman3]

10. The bar is not only low, it is almost subterranean.

Kind of like those trench in the ground toilets.

[Roy Rolling]

12. "A good actor"

I've been involved with nearly 200 major movies and television projects over the last 30 years. He is a terrible actor. It insults every kid from drama school to leading roles in $100 million shows to call him a "good actor". He's only there because his daddy paid for the show.

[Raster]

18. A couple of things were demonstrated last night:

tRump* can stay on message for 45 minutes and the M$M has demonstrated new levels of gullibility and bootlickery not seen before. NOTHING HAS CHANGED. I suspect tRump*s handlers sat him down and plainly told him: "if you can't nail this, we're gonna have to kick you to the curb and coronate Pence*... and you know Vlad* is not going to like that."

[BainsBane]

24. My sense is they were overcompensating

for what has been a justifiably critical stature since he was elected. I doubt it will last. As someone else said, he'll be back to his nasty tweeting and self-involved remarks in no time, probably today.

[Raster]

26. I would agree and add that the M$M corporate overlords most likely chimed in...

...with their "opinions." Of course tRump* hasn't changed... Bannon, et. al, have just modified the outward-facing message to make it appear to be more palatable to the ignorant and gullible, which unfortunately seems to include a wide swath of the M$M.

[Scarsdale]

29. Ivanka, Beavis and Butthead

How can they pretend their father is "normal"? Ivanka appears to be the keeper of the meds, since she hovers around constantly. I question WHY she went with daddy to Dover Air Base to accept Ryan's body after the failed raid? Was she elected to office when nobody was paying attention, like President Bannon was???

[LuckyLib]

41. The structure of the speech was such that with all of the "nods" to various and sundry "examples"

of this or that crime victim, this or that venerable person, lots of time was taken up introducing and applauding these folks. That constant pivoting of audience attention kept him from having to use extended discourse for any long period of time. It must have been painful for him to stay on script.

[Raster]

47. The theme of last night was: See, he can look Presidential...

...that's it. Nothing of substance, no real insight into <shudder> the mind of tRump*. Just another sales pitch, albeit, a very well scripted one. I really do believe persons sat him down and told him to get with the program, or get thrown to the wolves... Siberian Wolves, that is.

[raccoon]

66. I think you're right on target. NT

[zentrum]

25. Love Ellison. nt

[Eyeball_Kid]

27. It's the same people who believe that John Wayne was a War Hero.

[MrPurple]

35. And they foam at the mouth about all the liberal elitists at the Oscars

but when there's a celebrity that endorses their side, they give them a convention keynote speech talking to a chair.

[Basic LA]

28. This is what I was afraid of, the Full Reagan.

They'll idolize a mean moron and someday name an airport or aircraft carrier after him. And all we on the left can do is split into ineffective factions.

[Scarsdale]

32. Saint Ronnie

Remember how the gop protected Saint Ronnie when he was slipping? Had he been a democratic president, the gop would have raised holy HELL. I honestly think tRump is fading into dementia or Alzheimers, too. He is certainly NOT normal. What SANE person would submit that laughable doctor's report, and get by with it? This entire charade is playing out like a sick joke on regular citizens, with the gop pulling all the strings. Refusing to investigate Russian influence, yet having hearing after hearing about Benghazi and the ACA. Now he is building a helipad at the Florida palace. He is drainng the treasury at warp speed.

[Timer]

37. Possible dementia

I recently heard Trump on YouTube recorded the day after 9/11, talking about his theory that the planes that hit the WTC had bombs on them. Despite the theory, my point is he came off well-spoken. He put actual sentences together, and was reasonably articulate. He was noticeably different than the DJT we know today. I'm just about convinced that some type of dementia has been happening for a few years now.

[BeckyDem]

30. Truth!

[Caliman73]

31. They want to be conned.

Trump's most ardent supporters support his xenophobia, racial animosity, and bigotry. They believe that an America where women, minorities, and progressives are silenced is a good America. They have to believe him and support him full bore otherwise they are just collaborators like the Vichy.

The fence sitters (I can't believe there are any, but there are), want to believe that "America will be alright" so when Trump isn't actively being a complete ass, they think, "good, now he is acting like a president" hoping that he will continue to do so, even though they know deep down that he won't. They need to believe so that they won't have to do anything to fight for the survival of democracy.

[Pacifist Patriot]

36. I am totally convinced he's a psychopath.

No doubt in my mind he'd score relatively high on the PCL-R. I know people are uncomfortable with armchair diagnoses, but the guy is a walking talking poster child for psychopathy. I just see it more and more every day.

[raccoon]

69. PCL-R? elucidate, my dear Watson. Nt

[Pacifist Patriot]

71. Psychotic Checklist (revised)

It's a 20 point check list used by psychologists and psychiatrists (particularly with respect to the criminal justice system) to evaluate for psychopathy. In my opinion, he scores over the 30 to be determined a psychopath.

I'll link to it when I can get to a computer. On my phone right now. But if you search you'll find lots of articles about it. Include Trump's name in the search and you will see I am not alone in my opinion.

[Pacifist Patriot]

72. Here you go!

http://www.minddisorders.com/Flu-Inv/Hare-Psychopathy-Checklist.html

glib and superficial charm
grandiose (exaggeratedly high) estimation of self
need for stimulation
pathological lying
cunning and manipulativeness
lack of remorse or guilt
shallow affect (superficial emotional responsiveness)
callousness and lack of empathy
parasitic lifestyle
poor behavioral controls
sexual promiscuity
early behavior problems
lack of realistic long-term goals
impulsivity
irresponsibility
failure to accept responsibility for own actions
many short-term marital relationships
juvenile delinquency
revocation of conditional release
criminal versatility

The revocation of conditional release is the only one on the list that gives me pause since he hasn't been incarcerated. Lack of realistic long-term goals slays me. Two years ago I'd have said his declaration to become POTUS fit this beautifully. However, his claims of solving crime, eradicating ISIS, etc. are also stellar examples of this.

[raccoon]

73. Thanks! nt

[SleeplessinSoCal]

40. He's a horrible actor, but a great con man. very different.

[calimary]

42. Michael Moore pointed that out last night during the underwhelming Chris Matthews special.

He reminded that trump is a member of the Screen Actors Guild. He has his SAG card. So he IS a good actor. All CONmen are.

Just as Rachel Maddow has pointed out before - "watch what they DO. NOT what they say." You can smooth-talk anybody. But it's what you DO that proves what your true objective was.

Btw - I was really looking forward to that "late version of 'Hardball'," but it was a big disappointment. And to add trump-lover Robert Davi in there just messed with the whole point of the show. He isn't a comedian or a humorist or anything else, except for a mediocre actor who used to be somebody. At least he only got a minute or so at the end of the show. But that meant Nancy Giles, also shoe-horned in at the end of the show, got short shrift, too.

Bill Maher should have been on Skype or something, or in some local TV studio wherever he physically was, if he couldn't be there in person. They ALL (except for Robert Davi) should have been on a panel together, THERE, IN STUDIO, for a more free-wheeling hour. Everybody looked WAY too controlled. Why didn't they invite Ron Reagan - since the theme obviously was NOT bringing in an all-comedian guest lineup the way it was implied? I'd rather have had him than Bradley Whitford, whose main claim to relevancy here was because, once upon a time, he was a regular on "The West Wing."

That show really missed the mark.

[INdemo]

43. With the Corperate media,the Republican Corporate mafia

controlling Congress, if we think the Russian/Trump/Putin connection will be investigated by an Independent Prosecutor we are dreaming.There are about 20 Corportist Democrats that will side with Republicans to move on beyond the Russian issue so we are screwed.
Just take a look at the number of Corporate Democrats that are helping rush through Trumps nominees.....

[Fearless]

44. And everyone who insulted him last week should unrec this OP immediately

[MadDAsHell]

46. Unfortunately a quote doesn't nail anyone to anything.

Trump likely won't even see it.

We need in your face action.

[czarjak]

48. When you start with...

Lying about Jesus, and the rubes still buy into your bullshit. Anything is possible.

[C_U_L8R]

51. Donald Trump is not a good guy. Period.

That's it. The rest is marketing.

[NastyRiffraff]

52. Hes not a good guy. Hes a good actor.

Exactly right. He didn't actually grab a female member of Congress's pussy, so he's suddenly "presidential."

[11 Bravo]

53. Trump doesn't smile, he smirks.

[Sunlei]

54. Republican Leaders are good at turd polishing, they even got Bannon, trumps pet- cleaned up a bit

[wordpix]

55. I was thinking "flim flam man," myself, DJT Barnum

[mnhtnbb]

56. I dispute the "actor" label. I don't care if he has a SAG card or not.

He's not acting; he's being himself. BIG difference. He is a con man. A con man has more than one persona
and is able to tailor his con depending upon his target.

An actor is someone who portrays a character in a performance. A con man has deception at the heart of his actions; he's a trickster out
to manipulate someone for the con man's benefit.

I think there's a difference and I think we should be emphasizing he's a con man.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

57. Calling him a good actor seems like a compliment. He deserves no accolades for his performance.

I think of a good actor as an artist performing a role, and if you asked the actor, off-stage or off-screen, they would freely admit the character and the person are distinct.

[coco22]

59. Nobody voted for Ivanka nor the rest of the KLAN..

who knows what the sons are up to as well as Bannon,Jared,Rudy GHOULiani,Miller,as well as others too many crooks,liars and thieves..

[Lucinda]

60. Yep. n/t

[oberliner]

61. Ellison is completely wrong

He is not a good actor, at all. In fact, he is an awful actor.

[harun]

63. He sold enough disgruntled American's on voting for him to become President.

When he is the last thing that will help them with what they are upset about. He is a damn good actor.

[mnhtnbb]

65. That's not an actor, that's a con man.

[harun]

67. Same thing.

[mnhtnbb]

70. No, it's not. Actors portray characters for a performance

and con men are exhibiting their deceptive character which is who and what they are. There is no "real" persona separate and apart from the behaviors they exhibit. Everything about them and what they do is in service to deception.

[oberliner]

68. He's a good con man

Not a good actor.

[dchill]

62. Kick.